Lainey Wilson Leads Star-Studded List with Four Nominations

Cody Johnson, First-Time Nominee Jelly Roll and Co-Host Kane Brown Follow with Three Apiece

CMT’s All-Time Leader Carrie Underwood Looks to Extend Video of the Year Streak
as Highly Coveted Award Category Boasts Most-Ever Nominees

21 Artists Receive First-Time Nods as CMT Spotlights Rising Stars, Country Icons and Out-of-Genre Superstars; Expands Breakthrough Video of the Year Category

Vote Now at vote.cmt.com

Watch: “CBS Mornings” Announces Collaborative Video of the Year Nominees Live

AUSTIN, Texas + NASHVILLE, Tenn. – CMT today unveiled the highly anticipated nominations for the 2023 CMT MUSIC AWARDS, Paramount Global’s signature country music tentpole entirely fan-voted awards show. The show, hosted by 2023 nominees Kane Brown and Kelsea Ballerini, airs LIVE, Sunday, April 2 (8:00-11:00 PM, live ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network from Austin, Texas’ Moody Center and will be available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+.* Each winner is selected by the fans, with voting now open at vote.cmt.com.

Breakout superstar Lainey Wilson leads this year’s star-studded list with a total of four nominations, including the highly coveted Video of the Year, Female Video of the Year, Collaborative Video of the Year and CMT Performance of the Year. Artists with three nods this year include Cody Johnson, first-time nominee Jelly Roll and co-host Kane Brown.

The first round of nominations for the highly coveted Video of the Year award features 16 acts, including another nod for Carrie Underwood, who reigns as the most-awarded artist in CMT history with a total of 25 wins, and is also slated to perform. Also facing off for the night’s biggest award: Ashley McBryde with Caylee Hammack, Brandy Clark + Pillbox Patti, Blake Shelton, Cody Johnson, Elle King + Dierks Bentley, Gabby Barrett, HARDY + Lainey Wilson, Jimmie Allen, Keith Urban, Little Big Town, Luke Bryan, Luke Combs, Morgan Wallen, Walker Hayes, plus co-hosts Kelsea Ballerini and Kane Brown with wife Katelyn.

New this year, CMT continues its longstanding history of recognizing the next wave of rising stars by expanding its Breakthrough Video of the Year category into male and female for the first time, recognizing the tremendous increase in the genre’s breakout talent with a total of 12 nominees across the twin categories. This year’s Breakthrough Female nominees include Avery Anna, Kylie Morgan, MacKenzie Porter, Megan Moroney, Morgan Wade and Tiera Kennedy; Bailey Zimmerman, Corey Kent, Drake Milligan, Jackson Dean, Jelly Roll and Nate Smith will compete in Breakthrough Male.

Across all categories, CMT is recognizing 21 first-time nominees: Avery Anna, Bailey Zimmerman, Charley Crockett, Corey Kent, Drake Milligan, Jackson Dean, Jelly Roll, Katelyn Brown, Kylie Morgan, Lukas Nelson, Megan Moroney, Morgan Wade, Nate Smith, Pillbox Patti, The War and Treaty, Tiera Kennedy, and Wynonna Judd, who receives two nominations, including one with her late mother, Naomi Judd, for their final performance together at the 2022 CMT MUSIC AWARDS. The show continues to celebrate out-of-genre range of talent with first-time nominees Black Pumas, Emmy Russell and Jake Scott; Katy Perry also receives her first nomination since 2015.

The Nominees for the 2023 CMT MUSIC AWARDS Are:

VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Best video of the year; awarded to the artist (male, female, group/duo or collaboration). Top six nominees, from the first round of voting, will be announced on March 27. The final three nominees, from the second round of voting, will be announced on show day, April 2. Final voting will be determined via social media and announced as the final category during the live show.

• Ashley McBryde, Caylee Hammack, Brandy Clark & Pillbox Patti - “Bonfire at Tina’s”

• Blake Shelton - “No Body”

• Carrie Underwood - “Hate My Heart”

• Cody Johnson - “Human”

• Elle King feat. Dierks Bentley - “Worth a Shot”

• Gabby Barrett - “Pick Me Up”

• HARDY feat. Lainey Wilson - “wait in the truck”

• Jimmie Allen - “Down Home”

• Kane Brown & Katelyn Brown - “Thank God”

• Keith Urban - “Wild Hearts”

• Kelsea Ballerini - “HEARTFIRST”

• Little Big Town - “Rich Man”

• Luke Bryan - “Country On”

• Luke Combs - “The Kind of Love We Make”

• Morgan Wallen - “You Proof”

• Walker Hayes - “AA”

FEMALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Best video by a female artist; awarded to the artist.

• Carly Pearce - “What He Didn’t Do”

• Carrie Underwood - “Ghost Story”

• Gabby Barrett - “Pick Me Up”

• Kelsea Ballerini - “HEARTFIRST”

• Lainey Wilson - “Heart Like a Truck”

• Maren Morris - “Humble Quest”

• Miranda Lambert - “Actin’ Up”

MALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Best video by a male artist; awarded to the artist.

• Bailey Zimmerman - “Rock and a Hard Place”

• Cody Johnson - “Human”

• Cole Swindell - “She Had Me at Heads Carolina”

• Jelly Roll - “Son of a Sinner”

• Kane Brown - “Like I Love Country Music”

• Luke Combs - “The Kind of Love We Make”

• Morgan Wallen - “Wasted on You”

GROUP/DUO VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Best video by a duo or group; awarded to the artists.

• Dan + Shay - “You (Performance Video)”

• Lady A - “Summer State of Mind”

• Little Big Town - “Hell Yeah”

• Parmalee - “Take My Name”

• The War and Treaty - “That’s How Love Is Made”

• Zac Brown Band - “Out in the Middle”